Tsariov’s press service said on Tuesday he had made the statement at a meeting of the coordinating council of the public movement South-East.

“I believe that whereas the self-appointed central authorities in Kiev are working to split the country, Ukrainian regions can make real steps to save the country,” he said. “Maintaining contacts and speaking to each other bypassing the puppet Kiev authorities they can reach a better understanding. By the Kiev authorities, in violation of all democratic norms, have stripped me off this possibility. It is real risk to my life to try to come to Kiev to address the Ukraine-wide audience, whereas the possibility of my participating in televised debates on UT-1 television channel by means of a TV link-up has been turned down.”

“That is why I have taken the decision to withdraw from elections, since the status of a candidate is inefficient in such conditions,” Tsariov stressed.

“We will look for other information channel and possibilities to bring our thoughts and positions to people in central and western Ukraine,” he noted. “I call on all other candidates - Petro Simonenko, Mikhail Dobkin, Serhei Tigipko, Rinat Kuzmin and others whose voters live in Ukraine’s southeastern regions - to withdraw from the elections. We should boycott the elections which are being held on the background of a civil war!”